Stratford-upon-Avon, the Birthplace of William Shakespeare

Stratford-upon-Avon, England, became a popular tourist destination owing to its status as birthplace of William Shakespeare (1564-1616), English poet, playwright and actor.

Other tourist attractions within the town include houses relating to Shakespeare's life:
Hall's Croft - the one time home of Shakespeare's daughter, Susanna, and her husband Dr. John Hall
Nash's House - the house next door to the ruins and gardens of New Place.
New Place - Shakespeare's final place of residence in Stratford. He died there in 1616. Though the house no longer exists.

Stratford developed as a market town during the medieval period. Hanley Street is one of the town's oldest streets filled with half-timbered dwellings and now a major tourist attraction with many cafes.

The Shrieves House on Sheep Street is one of the oldest still lived in houses in the town. Oliver Cromwell, English military and political leader, is thought to have stayed here in 1651.
Behind the Shrieves House is a museum called 'Tudor World' with recreations of 16th century life in theatrical settings.

Shakespeare's Family House

Anne Hathaway's Family Cottage

Anne Hathaway (1555/6-1623) was the wife of William Shakespeare. They were married in 1582, when she was 26 years old and he was only 18. They had three children: a daughter and the twins.

Anne grew up in Shottery, England, a small village just to the west of Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William. She spent her childhood in a spacious twelve-roomed farmhouse, now set in extensive gardens. The house of timber framing was a trademark of vernacular Tudor style architecture. It is now open to the public.

York - Historic Walled City

York, England, is a historic walled city with a rich heritage. It was founded by Romans in 71 AD. In the middle ages, it grew as a major wool trading center.

York Minster is a cathedral and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. It is the most prominent historic attraction of the city.

The Shambles is an old street with overhanging timber-framed buildings, some dating back as far as the 14th century.

York is also famous for its medieval city walls.

 

 

St Martin is one of the Medieval parish churches.

 

York had about forty five of them in 1300.

Hadrian's Wall - To Keep 'The Empire Intact'

Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain, begun in AD 122 during the rule of emperor Hadrian. It stretched from west to east for 80 Roman miles (about 75 miles) in the northern part of England to protect from the invasions from the north.

A significant portion of the wall still exists and can be followed on foot along the Hadrian's Wall Path. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern England and was made UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

Small portion of Hadrian's Wall in Heddon

Jedburgh Abbey - 'an Open Space by a Twist in the River'

Jedburgh Abbey is a ruined Augustine abbey, which was founded in the 12th century. It is situated in the Scottish Borders, 10 miles from the border with England.

The abbey was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was said to contain finery of the best of Norman and early English Architecture.

Jedburgh has been described by 83 different names or spelling. Once called Jedworth, probably meaning 'an open space by a twist in the river.'

Edinburgh - City of the 'World's First Skyscrapers'

Edinburgh, UK, is a captivating city of many historical buildings and an extensive Georgian New Town built in the 18th century. The Old and New Towns are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The heart of Edinburgh is the Royal Mile in the Old Town comprised of four streets: Castlehill, Lawnmarket, Hight Street, and Canongate, which lead into each other, extending from Castle Rock in the west to Holyrood Palace in the east, where James IV established his home. These streets received their 'Royal' epithet during the reign of James IV (1473-1513). He was one of the most popular and charismatic monarchs in Scottish history and his reign has been regarded as a Golden Age.

Following the king, the great street of the 'Royal Mile' quickly attracted the Scottish aristocracy, where they began to establish town-houses along the street; further attracting luxury businesses such as jewelers and goldsmith, creating a hive of activity, which prompted the 'world's first skyscrapers.'

The legend of the founding of Holyrood says that King David I while hunting in the forest of Drumselch got separated from his companions and was attacked by deer. He faced the deer trying to seize its antlers. But in that moment a miracle happened, instead of holding the antlers, he held a cross. The frightened deer escaped. As soon as the deer disappeared, the cross vanished as well. In gratitude the King decided to build an abbey dedicated to the cross (or rood). Therefore, the name of Holyrood.

Historical version is that Queen Margaret, King David’s mother, while escaping to Scotland in 1066 from the invading Normans, she had in her possession a holy relic known as the ‘Black Rood.’ When David succeeded to the throne in 1122, he built the abbey in memory of his mother’s devotion to this relic.

The city is famous for the Edinburgh International Festival, which, since its inception in 1947 has grown into the biggest annual international arts festival in the world.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place annualy throughout August alongside the Edinburgh Festival.

In 2004 Edinburgh became the world's first UNESCO City of Literature, an accolade awarded in recognition of its literary heritage.

View from Calton Hill towards Edinburgh Castle

Holyrood Palace from Calton Hill

Below pictures are from the Old Town

The Royal Mile

World's End pub has interesting history at High St. (part of Royal Mile)

Deacon Brodie's story is written on the walls of cafe and tavern at Lawnmarket (part of Royal Mile)

St. Giles Cathedral

Edinburgh Castle

Below pictures are from the Princes Street Gardens between the Old and New Town

The Scott Monument was dedicated to Scottish author Sir Walter Scott

It is the largest monument dedicated to a writer in the world.

View towards the Castle Rock

Scottish piper

Gretna Green and its Runaway Weddings

Gretna Green is a village in the south of Scotland famous for runaway weddings. It is one of the world’s most popular wedding destinations.

The famous ‘runaway marriages’ began in 1754, when Lord Hardwicke’s Marriage Act came into force in England. Under the Act, if a parent of a minor objected, they could prevent the marriage. The Act tightened up the requirements for marrying in England and Wales, but did not apply in Scotland, where it was possible for boys to marry at 14 and girls at 12 with or without parental consent.

The local blacksmith and his anvil have become the lasting symbols of Gretna Green weddings. Scottish law allowed for ‘irregular marriages,’ meaning that if a declaration was made before two witnesses, almost anybody had the authority to conduct the marriage ceremony. The blacksmith in Gretna became known as ‘anvil priests.’